Centre for Sexology and Sexuality Studies, Faculty of Health and Society, Malmö University, Malmö, Sweden.
Department of Neurology, Rehabilitation Medicine, Memory Disorders, and Geriatrics, Skåne University Hospital, Malmö-Lund, Sweden.
Brain Inj. 2023 Jan 2;37(1):34-46. doi: 10.1080/02699052.2022.2145358. Epub 2022 Nov 21.
This study investigates whether Acquired Brain Injury (ABI) is associated with changes in sexual function and satisfaction and how such changes are experienced, focusing on invisible impairments after ABI.
A study-specific questionnaire was distributed in 2018-2019. The sample included individuals aged 20-90 years diagnosed with ABI due to subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH), trauma, infection, or anoxia (ischemic stroke and intracerebral hemorrhage excluded), who participated in brain injury rehabilitation in Sweden, 2014-2016. Chi-square and Logistic regression analyses were used.
The study consists of 250 participants (response rate was 40%). Among participants 78% (194/250) had resumed sexual life. Participants reporting sexual changes also experienced more consequences related to ABI. Those with decreased sexual desire (63%, 148/234) reported more ABI consequences, including decreased memory (86% vs 65%, p = 0.000), decreased concentration ability (82% vs 65%, p = 0.003), and increased tiredness (91% vs 70%, p = 0.000) compared to those with intact desire. Such consequences can be invisible to others.
Visible impairments are known to impact sexual functions and satisfaction after ABI. Our results show how invisible impairments also have a great impact. From a biopsychosocial perspective, these results imply that individuals should receive sexual rehabilitation, irrespective of ABI impairment.
本研究旨在探讨获得性脑损伤（ABI）是否与性功能和满意度的变化有关，以及这些变化是如何发生的，重点关注 ABI 后的隐性损伤。
2018-2019 年，我们采用特定的研究问卷进行了此项研究。该样本包括 20-90 岁因蛛网膜下腔出血（SAH）、创伤、感染或缺氧（缺血性中风和脑出血除外）而被诊断为 ABI 的个体，他们在瑞典参加了脑损伤康复治疗。我们使用卡方检验和 Logistic 回归分析。
该研究共纳入 250 名参与者（应答率为 40%）。在参与者中，78%（194/250）恢复了性生活。报告有性功能变化的参与者也经历了更多与 ABI 相关的后果。性欲下降（63%，148/234）的参与者报告了更多的 ABI 后果，包括记忆力下降（86% vs 65%，p = 0.000）、注意力集中能力下降（82% vs 65%，p = 0.003）和疲劳感增加（91% vs 70%，p = 0.000），与性欲正常的参与者相比。这些后果可能对他人是隐形的。
众所周知，可见的损伤会影响 ABI 后的性功能和满意度。我们的研究结果表明，无形的损伤也有很大的影响。从生物-心理-社会的角度来看，这些结果意味着无论 ABI 损伤如何，个体都应该接受性康复治疗。
